Tile and retaining means therefor



y 1,940- r F. J. PLYM 2,206,201

TILE AND RETAINING MEANS THEREFOR Filed April 27, 1938 Patented July 2,1940 PATENT OFFICE TILE AND RETAINING S THEREFOR Francis J. Plym, Niles,Mich, assignor to The Kawneer Company, Niles, Mich., a. corporation ofMichigan Application April 27, 1938, Serial No. 204,638

4 Claims.

The present invention relates to store fronts for, the exterior ofbuilding constructions and more particularly to the construction andcombination of porcelain tile or pans and, retaining clips for anchoringthese tile in an assembled position.

Among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novelconstruction of tile for covering or surfacing the exterior of a storefront and members for retaining these tile in a desired position. Afurther object is to provide a novel tile or pan construction and a clipor moulding for, mounting and retaining the tile or pans in apredetermined position, but permitting the ready removaLor replacementof a damaged tile.

Another objectof the present invention is to" provide a novel.combination of tile members for coveringoa store front and retainingmembers therefor, the retaining members being in the form of clipsadapted to be mounted in spaced relation upon a suitable backing wherebythe ,surface to be covered is progressively built up more fully appearand are inherently possessed thereby.

The invention further resides in the construction, combination andarrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and whileI have shown therein a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood thatthe same is susceptible of modification and change, and comprehendsother details, arrangements of parts, features and constructions withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention.

In the drawing: 2 i

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of a store front or window in which myinvention is employed.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in vertical cross section through the noveltile and retaining means.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the retaining clip and showingits manner of redow l in which the noveltile 2 takes the place of theusual brick, terra cotta or the like forming the outer surface of thestore front. The novel tile 2 is shown in the formof a porcelain enamelpan having an inwardly and upwardly turned flange 3 at its upper edgeand an inwardly and outwardly turned or curved flange 4 at its loweredge. The opposite sides, or edges 55 of the tile may bebent orprojectedinwardly in any suitable manner. i

The novel retaining means for the tile comprises a flexible or resilientclip member S'so constructed and arranged as to anchor the upper edge ofa lower tile and the lower edge of an upper tile, but permit their readyremoval or replacement should a tile become broken or chipped. The clip6 is formed with a channel-shaped seat or base 1 adapted to be rigidlyattached to a strip or other backing 8 by a screw or other suitableattaching means .9 passing through an opening Ill in the base I. Theclip or moulding beyond the base is formed to provide a riser or ledgell forreceivingand retaining the flange 3 on the upper edge of a tile,an outwardly extending leg l2 and a rearwardly and outwardly extendingyieldable or resilient flange l3 adapted to interlock with the flange 4of the lower edge of a tile and so formed as to permit expansion andcontraction so essential to anefficient surfacing or covering for theexterior of a building.

These clip members or mouldings are suitably spaced apart as more.clearly disclosed in Fig. 5 to yieldably, yet firmly, retain the tilesections in a predetermined adjusted position. In the assembly of thetile sections, a lower setor row of clips 6 is secured upon suitablestrips, braces or other backing 8 and then an upper set or row of theclips is attached so as to mount and retain a lower row of tile. Thesetile are then mounted in position by forcing the upper edge of each tileunder the risers ll, after which the lower edge 4 is forced or pressedover the flexible I or resilient flange l3 and interlocked therewith 1to prevent accidentaldisplacement. Then the next upper row of clips isattached and the same procedure of mounting the tile sections isfollowed. Thus the construction is built up from the bottom. After thetile have been so assembled to cover the exterior, mastic or othersuitable plastic isinserted between adjacent sections to provide aweather-proof seal.

Should one of the tile be damaged or broken, all that is required toremove and replace it is that the mastic or other weathering materialused be removed from the spaces aboutthat particular tile and a screwdriver or other instrument be inserted to depress the flexible flange E3of the clip so as to allow for withdrawal of the lower flange 4 and edgeof the tile, after which the upper flange 3 may be easily withdrawn anda new tile or section inserted to replace the one damaged and removed.

By the present construction and combination, I have provided a novelmeans and method of mounting and retainingtile for store fronts and thelike wherein the tile are firmly, yet yieldably, secured in an assembledrelation, but in which a chipped or broken tile may be'quickly removedand replaced without removal of any of the adjoining sections. Thisconstruction also permits an assembly of any desired dimensions, and onein which no attaching means are visible. Due to the resiliency oryieldability of the mounting or retaining means, provision is made forthe necessary or required expansion or contraction due to temperaturechanges, to which an exterior surfacing is subjected, although it is tobe understoodthat the present assembly'is also adapted for interior use.Furthermore, it will be apparent that the tile are retained in assembledrelation by these resilient or flexible clips even though the tile mayvary somewhat in their dimensions.

Having thus disclosed the invention,

I claim: i

1. In a wall surface covering, tile sections adapted to form the surfaceof the covering and provided with inwardly projecting flanges, and"means for anchoring the upper and lower flanges of each section in suchmanner that the tile sections are firmly. retained in assembled relationeven though subjected to expansion and contraction due to temperaturechanges, said means comprising spaced clips each having an ofi-set baseadapted to be secured to a backing and provided with a riser portion toreceive and anchor one edge of a tile section and a flexible portionextending outwardly from the riser and adapted to interlock with theadjacent edge of an adjoining tile section whereby each clip is adaptedto retain adjacent edges of adjoining tile sections. 2. In a wallsurface covering, tile sections adapted to form the surface of thecovering and provided with inwardly projecting flanges, and means foranchoring the upper and lower flanges of each section in such mannerthat the tile sections are firmly retained in assembled relation eventhough subjected to expansion and contraction due to temperaturechanges, said means comprising spaced clips adapted to be secured to abacking and each so formed as to receive and firmlyanchor one flange ofa tile section between the clip and the backing and resiliently retainan adjacent flange of an adjoining tile section whereby each clip isadapted to anchor the adjacent flanges of adjoining tile sections.

3. In a wall surface covering, tile sections forming said covering andprovided with inwardly bent edges, one edge extending inwardly andhaving a flange extending away from the section and in a planesubstantially parallel to the plane of the section,.the opposite edgeextending inwardly at an acute angle to the section and with'the freeend curving in the opposite direction, and means attached to a backingand adapted to interlock with adjoining edgesto lock the sections to thebacking.

4. In a wall surface covering, tile sections adapted to form thecovering and provided with inwardly projecting flanges and means for an-1 choring the adjoining flanges of each section in such manner that thesections are firmly retained in assembled relation even though subjectedto expansion and contraction, said means comprising clips having a ledgeportion for receiving and retaining a flange of one section, saidportion extending outwardly and then rearwardly for receiving andretaining a flange of the adjoining section. FRANCIS J. PLYM.

